Stepping switch with momentary switch capabilities



y 6, 1969 P. A. HANOLD 3,443,047

STEPPING SWITCH WITH MOMENTARY SWITCH CAPABILITIES Filed June 20, 1967 Sheet of 2 FIG. 5

EEC-3.2

M 36 34 57/7 3/ 1 m4 38 v5 33 /0 INVENTOR. PAUL A. HANOLD y 6, 1969 P. A. HANOLD 3,443,047

STEPPING SWITCH WITH MOMENTARY SWITCH CAPABILITIES Filed June 20, 1967 Sheet ,8 of 2 FEG.4

1 N VENTOR. PAUL A. HANOLD AGENT United States Patent 3,443,047 STEPPING SWITCH WITH MOMENTARY SWITCH CAPABILITIES Paul A. Hanold, Fort Branch, Ind., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Co., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 20, 1967, Ser. No. 647,387

, Int. Cl. H0111 19/14, 19/28 US. Cl. 200-456 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pushbutton operated stepping switch having a snap action operating linkage movable between a stable unoperated position and an unstable terminal position, and including means biasing the linkage toward its unoperated position and the pushbutton against operation, a plurality of make/break switch means, a rotor with cam means for selectively operating said make/break switch means when said rotor turns incrementally, pawl and ratchet means causing the rotor to turn incrementally when the pushbutlon is released after being depressed, and momentary switch means engaged and operated by the linkage when the pushbutton is depressed.

This invention relates to improvements in stepping switches and to improved operating means therefor.

An object of this invention is to provide a stepping switch having a pushbutton for operation, a plurality of make/break switch means, an incrementally rotary cam means for selectively control said make/break switch means, an operating means for incrementally rotating the cam means when the pushbutton is released after being depressed.

Another object of this invention is to provide the foregoing stepping switch having momentary switch means operated each time the pushbutton is depressed.

And another object of this invention is to provide the foregoing stepping switch with novel snap action operating means responsive to operation of the pushbutton.

This invention contemplates a combination, in a stepping switch having a pushbutton depressible against a bias for operating the stepping switch, comprising operating linkage means movable between a stable unoperated position and an unstable terminal position; said pushbutton engaging and when depressed moving said operating linkage means to its unstable terminal position; said operating linkage means including spring means biasing said operating linkage means to its stable unoperated position and said pushbutton against being depressed; a plurality of insulated stacks of spring contact blades, each stack providing a plurality of make/break switch means; said blades being disposed in opposed pairs, each opposed pair forming one of said make/break switch means; a rotor having a plurality of cam means each for a different one of said make/break switch means and selectively operating said make/break switch means when said rotor turns incrementally; and means connecting said operating linkage means to said rotor and causing 'said rotor to turn incrementally when said pushbutton is released after being depressed.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a stepping switch in its unoperated position, made in accordance with the present invention,

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FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with the operating button depressed and the associated linkage shifted thereby, and with a portion of the switch removed to more clearly show the ratchet mechanism,

FIGURE 3 is a bottom sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a top sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of the rotor of the novel stepping switch, and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 4 and illustrating a spring contact blade and its cam actuator.

Although a stepping switch made in accordance with the present invention may be positioned for use with the operating button extending therefrom in any desired direction, an illustrative switch is shown in the drawings with the button extending upwardly from the portion which appears to be the top of the switch, and will be described in this position with the switch terminals extending from what will be considered the back of the switch.

Referring now to the drawings, the novel switch has a C-shaped frame 10 providing a side wall 11 with both a top wall 12 and a bottom wall 13 extending laterally therefrom and are spaced vertically from one another. Walls 12 and 13 are substantially perpendicular to side wall 11 and substantially parallel to one another.

A threaded ferrule 15 is fixed to and extends upwardly from the top wall 12 which has an opening therethrough aligned with the ferrule, and a spring retaining flange 14 depending from its back edge. An arm 16, extending laterally from side wall 11 and being forwardly of ferrule 15, is provided at its free end with a pair of spaced depending fingers l7 and 18, and a stop flange 19 extending forwardly from its top edge.

A pair of vertically spacedcarrier arms 20 and 21, positioned forwardly of the bottom wall 13, extend laterally from the front portion of side wall 11 and have a vertically aligned slots 22 and 23, respectively, adjacent their free ends. The upper arm 20 is disposed vertically approximately midway between the top and bottom walls 12 and 13, and the lower arm 21 spaced below arm 20 and slightly below bottom wall 13. Flanges 14 and 19, ferrule 15, the space between depending fingers l7 and 18, and slots 22 and 23 are aligned with one another along a vertical plane A-A which extends from front to back through the novel switch as is indicated in FIG-' URE 3 of the drawings. A U-shaped switch base 24 is mounted on the bottom wall 13 and has a pair of spaced substantially parallel support arms 25 and 26 which extend forwardly therefrom.

An operating pushbutton or plunger 30 is slidable axially in ferrule 15 and has a head 31 which normally is engaged and biased toward the top wall 12 by a spring 33. A resilient annulus 32 may be provided between wall 12 and the head 31 to act as a cushion. The spring 33 is connected at one end to flange 14 and has an elongated arm portion 34 at its other end which extends through the space between the depending fingers 17 and 18 of arm 16 and is connected to a link or lever 35 closer to its free end 36. Lever 35 is bifurcated and pivots on its bifurcations 37 and 38 which are seated in slots in the front faces of depending fingers 17 and 18, respectively. Spring 33, which biases plunger 30 upwardly, also biases lever 35 to pivot upwardly or clockwise as viewed in FIGURES l and 2, and to urge the bifurcations 37 and 38 thereof into the slots in fingers l7 and 18, respectively. The arm 34 may be bent at an angle to the normal axis of the spring 33 to adjust and complement the spring biasing force as may be required.

An operating bar or shaft 40 is axially slidably vertically in slots 22 and 23 of arms 20 and 21, respectively. The upward movement of bar 40 is limited by the flange 19 engaging its upper end, and its downward movement is limited by a pair of projections 41 which engage the upper arm 20. Bar 40 has a slot 42 in its upper end to receive and cooperate with lever35, and a switch operating portion 43 at its other or lower end, below arm 21, which is preferably reduced in size and has a cap 44 of plastic or other suitable dielectric material. Thus, the operating linkage of the novel stepping switch is comprised of spring 33, lever 35 and bar member 40 which is responsive to operation of the plunger or pushbutton 30. It should be noted that pushbutton 30 and bar member 40 are movable axially on spaced substantially parallel axes, and lever 35 is pivoted on an axis disposed between and normal to the parallel axe-s- When plunger 30 is depressed (see FIGURE 2) its head 31 movesthe end of spring 33, opposite from flange 14, downwardly causing lever 35 to pivot downwardly or counterclockwise. The free end 36 of lever 35, thereupon, engages the lower edge of slot 42 and depresses bar 40 until projections 41 engage the upper arm 20. When plunger 30 is released (see FIGURE 1), spring 33 reassumes its normal position biasing the plunger upwardly and the lever 35 to pivot upwardly or clockwise. In this instance the free end 36 of lever 35 leaves the lower surface of slot 42 and engages the upper slot surface thereof causing bar 40 to slide upwardly until its upper end engages the stop flange 19.

A pin or stub shaft 45, substantially parallel to the pivot axis of lever 35, is provided to connect a pawl 46 to the bar 40 at a point intermediate the upper and lower arms 20 and 21, A spring 47 is provided to urge pawl 46, which has a ratchet engaging portion 48, to pivot clockwise as viewed in the drawing.

A rotor assembly 50 to be driven when bar 40 moves upwardly is best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. A shaft 51, substantially parallel to stub shaft 45, is rotatably journaled at its ends in support arms 25 and 26 of the U- shaped base 24, and a ratchet wheel with teeth 53 is keyed to the shaft for rotation therewith in unison. Two pairs of rotatable cams or cam wheels 54/55 and 56/57 of a suitable dielectric material are keyed to shaft 51 also for rotation in unison, each pair being disposed on one side of ratchet wheel 52 opposite from the other pair.

As bar 40 moves downwardly, portion 48 of pawl 46 moves away from the face of the tooth 53 which it had engaged and rides along the back of the next succeeding tooth to its face.

Spring 47 biases pawl 46 to pivot on pin 45 to move portion 48 into face to face relationship with such next succeeding tooth. At this time counterclockwise rotation of rotor 50 is prevented by a spring pawl 49 which is connected at one end to the lower wall 13 and extends forwardly therefrom to engage the ratchet wheel 52 by its free end.

When the bar 40 moves upwardly pawl 46 causes ratchet wheel 52 to rotate one step or an angular distance between the faces of two successive teeth 53. This causes the rotor 50 or the shaft 51 and earns 53 to 57 to also rotate with the ratchet wheel 52.

As is best shown in FIGURE 5, cam 54 has an annular flange portion with four radial slots which provide four equal fan shaped cam portions 58 equally spaced from one another. Cam 55 has four cam fingers 59 extending radially therefrom andbeing equally spaced angularly one from the other. As shown, each of the fingers 59 of cam 55 is of a width substantially equal to a slot between the cam portions 58 of cam 54, and is angularly aligned with one of such slots. Cams 56 and 57 each have an equally spaced series of six radially extending cam fingers 59, and is angularly positioned relative to the other so the fingers 59 of one cam are aligned with the intervening spaces between such fingers of the other.

The number of rotatable earns, the number, sizes and spacing of the cam portions of each cam, and the num= ber of teeth of the ratchet wheel are dictated by the requirements the specific stepping switch will have to satisfy. These parameters as set forth herein are for illustration purposes only and there is no intent to define the limits of the present invention thereby.

A pair of spring arm contact stacks 60 and 61 with suitable insulation, supported by the base 24, are connected to arms 25 and 2 6, respectively. In this instance stack 60 provides two make/break switches 64 and 65 which are operated by cams 54 and 55, respectively, and stack 61 also provides two make/break switches 66 and 67 which are operated by earns 56 and 57, respectively, as is best shown in FIGURE 4. Each of the switches 64, 65,66 and 67 has a pair of spring contact arms 62 and 63. Inasmuch as all the arms 69 are the same as one another and arms 68 are mirror forms of arms 69, only the one arm 69 of switch 65 which is controlled by cam 55 will be described in detail.

Ratchet wheel 52 has twelve teeth 53 so rotor 50 will make one complete revolution after twelve 30 steps or increments. Referring to FIGURE 6, spring blade 69 has an enlarged base portion 71 which is the end retained in the stack 60, and a rearwardly extending tab 72 providing the usual connection for a conductor (not shown). A free arm portion 73 extends forwardly from the base portion 72, past the cam 55, and terminates in a free end to which is connected a contact 70. Arm portion 73 has a deformation 74 extending inwardly toward cam 55 which is disposed in the path of movement of fingers 59 and on a 30 radius in FIGURE 6.

As viewed in FIG. 6 cam 55, which rotates clockwise in discrete steps each being a 30 increment, has a finger 59 which extends along the 90 radius and requires two discrete steps to move to the 30 radius where it engages deformation 74 and cams arm portion 73 outwardly from blade 68. A finger 59 when engaging a deformation 74 simultaneously engages a corresponding deformation of blade 68 so both blades are simultaneous ly displaced opening contact 70 and its corresponding contact of blade 68 (as switch 66 in FIGURE 4). The next discrete step of cam 55 moves the finger 59 from the -30 radius to the 0 radius and out of engagement with the deformations. This frees baldes 68 and 69 which spring back to make the contact 70 with the corresponding contact of blade 68.

It now should be understood that the associated contacts will be closed for two discrete steps and opened by the third discrete step of cam 55. Cam 54, being the reverse of cam 55, will cause the contacts associated therewith to open and close oppositely to the contacts associated with cam 55. Cams 56 and 57 each. having six fingers 59 will cause its associated contacts to alternately open and close, and oppositely to the contacts associated with the other.

A third suitably insulated spring contact arm stack 75 is connected to and depends from the bottom wall 13 to provide a pair of switch means and 90. Switch means 80 has a top blade or arm 81 which extends from the stack into the path of movement of the operating end 43 of bar 40 and provides a free end to be engaged and displaced by the dielectric cap 44. A contact 82 is connected to the spring blade 81 inwardly from and adjacent its free end. Contact 82 is normally spaced from and aligned with a contact 84 connected to the free end of a second spring blade 83 which is slightly shorter than blade 81. Blade 83 has a second contact 85, spaced from contact 84 toward the stack 75, which normally engages a contact 87 connected to the free end of a third spring blade 86 which is disposed between blades 81 and 83 as shown in FIGURE 1.

Blades 81, 83 and 86 each have the usual provision for connection to a conductor. Thus, when plunger 30 is not actuated and operating bar 40 is in its uppermost position as is shown in FIGURE 1, contacts and 87 electrically connect the conductors (not shown) connected to spring contact blades 83 and 86.

As shown in FIGURE 2, when plunger 30 is operated or depressed which displaces spring 33, lever 35 pivots downwardly or counterclockwise and moves bar 40 to its lowermost position where its projections 41 engages the top carrier arm 20. Cap 44 engages the free end of and springs or deflects blade 81 closing contacts 82 and 84. Terminal deflection of blade 81, through closed contacts 82 and 84, springs or deflects blade 86 and opens contacts 85 and 87. Now the conductors (not shown) connected to blades 81 and 86 are electrically connected by closed contacts 82 and 84.

The spring forces resulting from deflection of blades 81 and 86 cooperate with the spring force from displaced spring 33 to return bar 40 to its original position when plunger 30 is released. This movement of blades 81 and 86 also opens contacts 82 and 84, and closes contacts 85 and 87.

The construction of and electrical connections provided by switch 90 are the same as switch 80. As shown, switch 90 has spring contact blades 91, 93 and 96 corresponding to the respective blades 81, 83 and 86, normally open contacts 92 and 94 corresponding to normally open contacts 82 and 84, and normally closed contacts 95 and 97 corresponding to normally closed contacts 85 and 87.

A follower-actuator 76 for operating switch 90 may be connected to either blade 81 or 91. In this instance, follower-76 is connected at one end to the free end of blade 91 and has at its other end a cap 77 in contact with the free end of blade 81. Cap 77, like cap 44, is made of any suitable dielectric material.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a stepping switch having a pushbutton depressible against a bias for operating the stepping switch, a combination comprising:

operating linkage means movable between a stable unoperated position and an unstable terminal position;

said pushbutton engaging and when depressed moving said operating linkage means to its unstable terminal position;

said operating linkage means including spring means biasing said operating linkage means to its stable unoperated position and said pushbutton against being depressed;

a plurality of insulated stacks of spring contact blades, each stack providing a plurality of make/ break switch means;

said blades being disposed in opposed pairs, each opposed pair forming one of said make/break switch means;

a rotor having a plurality of cam means each for a different one of said make/break switch means and selectively operating said make/break switch means when said rotor turns incrementally; and

means connecting said operating linkage means to said rotor and causing said rotor to turn incrementally when said pushbutton is released after being depressed.

2. The combination in a stepping switch in accordance with claim I, and further comprising:

another insulated stack of spring contact blades providing momentary switch means; and

said operating linkage means engaging one of said blades of said other insulated stack and operating said momentary switch means thereby when said operating linkage means moves between its unoperated and terminal positions.

3. The combination in a stepping switch in accordance with claim 1, and said operating linkage means comprisit member being movable axially and having means for limiting its axial movement which defines the unoperated and terminal positions of said linkage means, and having a slot with spaced walls adjacent one end thereof;

said member and pushbutton being spaced from one another on substantially parallel axes;

a level pivotal at one end on an axis disposed between and transverse to said substantially parallel axes, and being free at its other end to move between and en gage the spaced walls of the slot when said lever pivots; and

a spring connected against movement at one end and to said lever at its other end, and between its end engaging and biasing said pushbutton axially in a direction opposite to the direction of its movement when depressed;

said spring biasing said lever to pivot and engage one of the spaced walls of the slot and to move said member axially to its limit in the direction of the said one end thereof;

said pushbutton when depressed displacing said spring around its end connected against movement causing said lever to pivot away from said one of the spaced walls and to engage the other of the spaced walls; and

said lever when engaging the other of the spaced walls causing said member to move axially to its limit in a direction away from said one end thereof.

4. The combination in a stepping switch in accordance with claim 3, and said means connecting said operating linkage means to said rotor comprising:

a ratchet wheel connected to said rotor for movement in unison and having a series of teeth disposed about its periphery;

a pawl pivotally connected to said member intermediate its ends on an axis substantially parallel to the pivotal axis of said lever;

spring means biasing said pawl into contact with the periphery of said ratchet wheel;

said pawl and teeth being arranged so the pawl is moved across the back of at least one of said teeth when said member moves away from said one end thereof, and engages the faces of said one of said teeth and causes said ratchet Wheel and rotor to turn incrementally when said member moves toward said one end thereof; and

means engaging and holding said ratchet wheel from turning when said pawl moves across the back of one of said teeth.

5. The combination in a stepping switch in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

said rotor includes a shaft rotatable on an axis disposed between the axes of said member and pushbutton and substantially parallel to the pivotal axis of said pawl;

said cam means comprises a plurality of cam Wheels connected to said shaft for rotation in unison, one of said cam wheels for each of said make/break switch means;

each of said pairs of opposed spring contact blades providing normally closed contacts; and

each of said cam wheels having a plurality of radially extending cam portions selectively spaced angularly which are moved by incremental rotation of said rotor sequentially between the opposed blades forming the make/ break switch controlled by such cam wheel, each cam portion causing the normally closed contacts to open.

6. The combination in a stepping switch in accordance with claim 5, and:

a U-shaped switch base disposed on the side of said rotor opposite from said member and having a pair of spaced substantially parallel arms extending toward said member; 4

each of said arms terminating in a free end and said rotor shaft being journalled in the free ends of said arms;

a different one of said plurality of insulated stacks being connected to each of said arms and extending toward the stack connected to the other of said arms;

said spring contact blades extending from said stacks and across said rotor, each terminating With a free end and having a deformation extending toward and aligned with the deformation of the spring contact blade opposed thereto; and

a plurality of contacts each connected to the free end of a different one of said spring contact blades;

said contacts connected to blades of each of said opposed pairs being aligned with and normally engaging one another.

7. The combination in a stepping switch in accordance with claim 6, and further comprising:

another insulated stack of spring contact blades connected to said switch base and extending therefrom substantially parallel to said member in a direction away from said one end of said member;

a pair of spring contact blades extending from said other stack toward said member, each having a contact connected thereto in alignment with the contact connected to the other to provide a momentary switch means;

one of said blades of said other stack having an end thereof extending into the path of movement of said member and being engaged by the other end of said member opposite said one end thereof which causes said blade with said end to deflect when said mem ber moves in a direction away from said one end thereof; and

nected to said switch base and extending therefrom substantially parallel to said member in a direction away from said one end of said member;

a set of three spring contact blades extending from said other stack toward said member;

one of said blades of said set having a pair of contacts connected thereto and the other of the blades each having a contact connected thereto and aligned with a different one of said pair of contacts, and said blades and contacts being arranged to provide a momentary switch means with a pair of normally open contacts and a pair of normally closed contacts;

one of said blades of said set having an end thereof extending into the path of movement of said member and being engaged by the other end of said member opposite from said one end thereof which causes said blade with said end to deflect closing said normally open contacts and opening said normally closed contacts when said member moves in a direction away from said one end thereof; and

insulating means disposed between and connected to one of said engaging ends.

10. The combination in a stepping switch in accordance with claim 9, and further comprising:

insulating means disposed between and connected to one of said engaging ends.

8. The combination in a stepping switch in accordance with claim 7, and further comprising:

another pair of spring contact blades extending from said other stack toward said member, each having a contact connected thereto in alignment with the other;

one of said blades of said other pair having an end thereof extending into the path of movement of said member; and

a follower disposed between said blade ends extending into the path of movement of said member, being connected at one end to one of said blade ends and having insulating means at its other end engaging said other of said blade ends which causes said blade with said end of said other pair to deflect when said member moves in a direction away from said one end thereof.

9. The combination in a stepping switch in accordance with claim 6, and further comprising:

another insulated stack of spring contact blades conanother set of three spring contact blades extending from said other stack toward said member and one of said blades having an end extending into the path of movement of said member;

one of said blades of said other set having a pair of contacts connected thereto and the other of the blades each having a contact connected thereto and aligned with a different one of said pair of contacts, and said blades and contacts being arranged to provide a pair of normally open contacts and a pair of normally closed contacts; and

a follower disposed between said blade ends extending into the path of movement of said member, being connected at one end to one of said blade ends and having insulating means at its other end engaging said other of said blade ends which causes said blade with said end of said other set to deflect closing the normally open cont-acts and opening the normally closed contacts provided by said other set when said member moves in a direction away from said one end thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,718,478 6/1929 Morse 200156 XR 2,491,748 12/ 1949 Martinka.

2,560,964 7/1951 Lauder ZOO-153.9 XR

2,613,290 10/ 1952 Pattyn 200156 XR 2,866,024 12/ 1958 Ginn 200156 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 1,095,352 12/ 1960 Germany.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

H. BURKS, Assistant Examiner. 

